Two Words, One Answer.
Google Maps
 Beginning Google Maps Applications, Second Edition $39.99 Google has a new release of version 3 for the Google Maps API. While its JavaScript API still looks similar to previous versions of the Google Maps API, much has changed under the hood with version 3, which has been designed to load fast, especially on today¡Çs mobile browsers and platforms, such as Android-based devices and the iPhone. Given the debut of the Google Maps API 3, authors Mike Purvis and Victor Sumner felt it was time for an update of their popular Beginning Google Maps Applications. In this important second edition, they¡Çve created a comprehensive introduction to Google Maps API 3, including the following: A focus on guiding you beyond simple tasks to the specifics of common and interesting projects Plot points and other geometry, both from an internal source and a public one like www.data.gov How to deal with data larger than 100 points (both the technical hurdles and the UI issues) What you¡Çll learn The fundamentals of the new Google Maps API 3, moving quickly into territory that many readers would have difficulty with when working alone or from Internet tutorials How to access Google Maps and GIS data with Ajax/JavaScript How to deal with lots of data as you move from toy to real-world applications How to develop user interfaces for big data sets How to render tiles with data How to use various web services with Google Maps effectively How to integrate what you learn with a capstone case study How to deploy on today¡Çs mobile platforms like Android and the iPhone, as well as desktops and more Who is this book for? This book could be enjoyed by a complete beginner, but the intended audience is a person with some exposure to programming, especially in languages like C++, Java, and PHP. An understanding of HTML and basic control flow is assumed, but the aspects of JavaScript relevant to the topics will receive coverage in sidebars.  Hacking Google Maps and Google Earth (ExtremeTech) $29.99 good book - it was a touch too technical for me. But I learned a good amount - if you have more computer experience - its a great read  Google Maps Hacks: Tips & Tools for Geographic Searching and Remixing $29.99 This book is extremely detailed and complete for those readers who already speak the language of computer and API programming. Some of the projects baffled me - I still don't get the point of the Google maps ghost, and also found that some of the GPS projects are now outdated, which is to be expected from any cutting-edge technology book that went to press three years ago. It's probably a good time for the publisher to bring out an updated edition of this book. A valuable focus would be on the addition of GPS-enabled PDAs and Smart Phones. With Google's free GPS mapping program, I have been able to push my T-Mobile MDA to the limits, turning a basic wireless device into a fully functional GPS device that works in real time. Many of the GPS project suggestions in this book, complicated and requiring some extreme technical skill, are now done automatically with Google's GPS mapping program.  Beginning Google Maps Applications with PHP and Ajax: From Novice to Professional $34.99 This book has a lot of very practical examples. With this book and the API docs you can make just about anything you like. Good, clear code and comments. Get this book if you want to make Google Maps. |
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